UK house prices have continued to see 'strong growth' despite concerns over the impact of Brexit on the housing market as they rose by another £1,600 between December and January, new official figures show.

The price of the average home in the UK rose by 0.8 per cent to £218,255 in January from the previous month and by 6.2 per cent, or £13,000, compared to January last year.

The first UK house price index by the Land Registry and the Office for National Statistics, which is based on mortgage completions, shows that prices continued to rise despite fewer sales and 'moderate' demand as supply showed no sign of improvement.

North-South divide: The map shows monthly price changes by region

But it also shows that house prices rose by a smaller percentage than previously expected at the end of last year, with December's figure revised down to 5.7 per cent from 7.2 per cent. January's increase is also still below last year's average of 7.4 per cent, the ONS said.

Richard Snook, senior economist at PwC, said: 'Whilst 6 per cent growth remains healthy, the significant downward revision to both the November and December figures portray a less buoyant market than previously thought.'

'With the triggering of Article 50 now confirmed for March 29, we may be beginning to see the signs of the Brexit related slowdown that we anticipated last year.'

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He added they expected house price growth for 2017 to be between 2 per cent and 5 per cent, which means a further slowing of prices over the next twelve months.

Regional figures, although notoriously volatile, show that markets like the South East and London, which have been predicted to bear the worst impact from Brexit, have seen some of the strongest house price growth.

Property prices in London showed the biggest monthly rise in the UK at 3 per cent, with the average price in the capital rising from £477,000 in December to over £490,000.

An apartment in London typically cost £436,000 in January – almost twice the price of a detached house in Wales, figures show.

London prices: An apartment in London typically cost £436,000 in January – almost twice the price of a detached house in Wales

The South East and East of England are also among the strongest regions with annual growth of 8.7 per cent and 9.4 per cent respectively.

However, house prices in Yorkshire and The Humber saw smaller yearly growth and actually declined 2.6 per cent on a monthly basis, with falls of 1.5 per cent in the North East and 0.6 per cent in Wales and 0.4 per cent in the North West since Christmas.

Wales saw house prices increase by 4.2 per cent over the previous 12 months to stand at £146,000. In Scotland, the average price increased by 4 per cent over the year to reach £142,000.

AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES BY REGION - JANUARY 2017

Country and government office region

Price

Monthly change

Annual change

England

£234,794

0.7%

6.5%

Northern Ireland (Quarter 4 - 2016)

£125,480

0.6%

5.7%

Scotland

£142,233

2.1%

4.0%

Wales

£145,933

-0.6%

4.2%

East Midlands

£174,222

-0.4%

5.6%

East of England

£279,231

0.2%

9.4%

London

£490,718

3.0%

7.3%

North East

£123,781

-1.5%

2.2%

North West

£149,767

-0.4%

4.6%

South East

£319,368

2.4%

8.7%

South West

£243,203

1.9%

7.4%

West Midlands Region

£179,633

0.4%

5.8%

Yorkshire and The Humber

£148,458

-2.6%

2.7%

Source: ONS and Land Registry

Rob Weaver, director of investments at property crowdfunding platform Property Partner, said that although monthly figures need to be taken with a pinch of salt, they suggest the north-south dived has returned.

'The North East, in particular, is dragging behind the rest of the country, even suffering a fall in property prices alongside Yorkshire and The Humber in January,' he said.

'The critical shortage of suitable property for sale in many parts of the country combined with record low interest rates fueling demand means price growth looks set to continue,' he added.

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors' residential market survey for January reported little change in transaction volumes and new buyer enquiries between December and the new year – but also no improvement for the 11th month running in new listings.

London was the only area where prices were expected to fall in the near-term, whilst in all other UK regions price expectations were positive.

The data clashes with that from both Nationwide and Halifax, which instead showed a slowdown in house price inflation in February.

Howard Archer, chief economist at IHS Markit, said: 'It needs to be borne in mind that the ONS' measure of house price inflation lags many of the other measures as it is based on mortgage completions.'

'Furthermore, house data for February from both the Nationwide and the Halifax showed slowing annual house price inflation.'

The chart shows the annual price change over the past five years in different regions

Archer said that, despite the solid-looking January house price data, they expect housing market activity and prices to come under increasing pressure over the coming months from deteriorating consumer fundamentals and weaker confidence.

They expect that house price gains over 2017 will be no more than 3 per cent - but he warned 'it could very well be less than this'.

Jeremy Leaf, London estate agent and a former RICS residential chairman, said that although some of these figures are historic, particularly the transaction numbers, they do indicate a 'worrying' trend of fewer transactions but prices still rising underpinned by shortages of stock.

'At the coalface we see these numbers, as well as concerns about rising inflation, translating into more caution, longer transaction times and hard bargaining but an improving confidence about getting deals done,' he added.